“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” 1 Peter 2:1
May 20, 2024
Babies require a lot of attention. Physical development into maturity does not come easily. But before we go further, pause and think about your own growth as a Christian. Most importantly, have you put your trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life. If the answer is yes, take note of the word “so” in the verse above. It is a hinge word swinging a previous thought to the next one. If we are reborn through the Word (1 Peter. 1:22), then we must grow by the Word. Loving one another is at the heart of growing to maturity in the Christian life. However, like a baby’s need to overcome infections, so must we. Malice is to be “put off,” gotten rid of. This is the desire to harm others. Its location is in our hearts and it is found in the cultural air we breathe (Rom. 1:29) – hit and runs, muggings, road rage. Meanness is the desire for revenge against others. It is poisonous. Am I guilty of saying mean and hurtful things? Or treating others in a vengeful way?
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“Search me, O God, and help me to see if I am too willing to inflict harm upon others for the sake of personal gain.”